Crimson Midnight
by Bleeding Star Goddess
Summary: OC/OC Slash In a world where Zim is not even a thought yet, and the system of control is a governing body of cruel Tallers, two Irkens, one of power and one of wit, plan to destroy the government and make the Empire all others would fall too.
1. The Legend is Born

**Title:** Crimson Midnight  
**Chapter:** 0/?  
**Authors:** Bleeding Star Goddess and Uppertorso  
**Rating:** MA  
**Pairings:** Well, it's all OC but anyways Zabius/Lerrias, Chrodin/Athemes, (past) Azith/Prymis  
**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by Jhonen Vasquez, various publishers including but not limited to Nickelodeon Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.  
**Warnings:** This story and the chapters in it will take place in an Alternate Universe with original characters and will involve xenophile situations, romantic and sexual relationships of the homosexual nature as well as the heterosexual nature. Similarly, torture, angst, sexual content, gore, violence, murder, genocide, adult language, and attempted rape will be within the content of this story.  
**Summary:** The Master and the Council are the supreme authority on Irk. Their system is perfect, their authority is within a vice grip... Until two Irkens, one with unmatchable strength and power and the other with a mind that surpasses all, decide to pry that precious control from their claws.

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**Chapter 00: The Legend is Born**

It was the sound of perfect organization and control. Dorvo watched from a high window, just outside the Birthing Wing in the Medical Bay over the blue and green Irkens, as they dealt with the newest eggs being delivered from the Blue female Irken. Her pack-sensors had been adjusted to block out any pain, so as not to affect the eggs.

She had delivered five eggs earlier that week and as he made quick strides to the hatching room, he could only anticipate the possible new smeets gained.

They had taken one of the darkest Blue, a female who had been known for her astounding mind, and one of the darkest Reds', a male who had a battle record as long as the Master's antennae and set them together in the breeding cycle.

He watched with a sneer, as the green Irkens under his control slowly started removing the incubator lid from the off-white, lightly green spotted eggs.

All went well, he saw the eggs hatch and each sensor showed that it was a healthy batch; he didn't need to watch anymore...

Or so he thought, until he heard a cry of alarm. 

Dorvo rushed inside, forgoing any sterilization and gasped at the sight before him.

There, in one of the larger eggs, was a small smeet wrapped around and protecting the body of another smeet in the very same egg.

Now it was not unheard of, though it was very rare, that two smeets hatched from one egg. However, as the smeet that was protecting the other lifted its head and gazed at them with solid, pak-shaking black -**_true_** black - eyes, now that was cause for alarm.

"Someone inform the Master of what has occurred here; quickly!"

He gazed at the label on the side of the egg. It had been planned that the smeet would be called Lerrias, but with two of them in one egg, another name from the list would have to be taken. But once the Master arrived, it might very well not matter what the next name on the list of hatchlings was.

The cause of alarm was both annoying and roused curiosity. He was rarely called upon unless extreme measures declared it so. It was incredibly strange to be called to the hatchery. He hadn't been called in a panic to this building in ages. Chrodin smirked to himself as Irkens fell away from his path, their eyes downcast as they scurried to find something to do.

Perhaps one of the smeets had been born with three heads and could breathe fire? He chuckled again to himself before pushing open the door. Only Dorvo was there, perhaps he had not alerted the other council members...

"What has you so worked up, that you must rouse me in such a panic?"

"**_That_**, my Lord, is what has me worked up."

Dorvo stepped to the side to show the small, black smeet, who was now sitting next to the deep red smeet protectively. The smeet turned his head and just blinked up at Chrodin with uncaring eyes before the tiny thing went back to nuzzling the red smeet's neck.

Chrodin eyed him for a moment before stepping closer, looking down at him with casual eyes. Yes, that was a true black, alright. And although there had never been one in history, it was common tale and knowledge that the darker the color, the more the strength, or will. But now he would finally be able to see if all the myths were true about the power behind this one.

"It doesn't look terribly overpowering to me... What's its name?" He looked over at Dorvo, his expression cold and calm as always.

"He doesn't have one, he was double-hatched in the same egg as the red, the red is scheduled to be named Lerrias, and if we go down the list, the black will be named Lunsford," Dorvo replied as he gazed at a screen in the wall listing millions of names.

"No, not that one. This Irken will be a true test to whether the myth over this black color will really make it strong. It will be quite an interesting experiment, and if all goes according to plan, he will be a strong force for our army." He looked back to the black Irken, thinking.

"Call him Zabius. And tell Athemes about this, she will be interested in conducting this experiment. She's to keep records of his power as he grows, we may require it later." He smirked and looked up again. "Such a rare occurrence must be documented." Straightening, he turned for the door. "Is there anything else?"

"The red, my Lord, Lerrias, he won't release him. We attempted to move the red to the nursery, as we had the others... Zabius bit one blue and broke the claw of a green when they tried to touch the red..."

"They shared the same egg, it is common. Keep them together for now, if that is what they want and separate them when you find the means. It is of little matter; as soon as they are able to walk and communicate, they will likely connect again." He eyed the red for a moment. "It's small for a red of such dark color. Perhaps sharing the egg was too much for its body." He waved a hand; such a small Irken was of no interest to him. "Forget the red, focus on the black. It doesn't really matter if they are both there."

Dorvo bowed and watched as Athemes came cackling in, pausing only to bow to Chrodin before she slammed up against the table, shaking it, and gazing down at the smeets.

"Aw... wittle smeets all cute and sweet, look good enough to completely eat!"

Dorvo looked on in disgust, although he heard one of the many in his head agree with the blue Irken.

"Behave, woman."

Athemes ran a gentle claw down both their faces and smiled, her eyes glinting.

"Yes, yes," she said as if she hadn't heard Dorvo (and she probably hadn't), "Athemes wants to know all about you, wittle smeet... wants to cut you right open and see your organs... yes, yes... but Athemes won't wittle smeets, no, no... Not until you die, will I get to see your insides!"

------

Yes, it is OC/OC and no, Zim will never come into this world, Purple and Red might much much much much later, but I doubt it. Reviews are still highly valued 


	2. All Good Little Girls and Go

**Title:** Crimson Midnight

**Chapter:** 1/?

**Authors:** Bleeding Star Goddess and Uppertorso

**Rating: **MA

**Pairings:** Well, it's all OC but anyways Zabius/Lerrias, Chrodin/Athemes, (past) Azith/Prymis

**Disclaimer**: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by Jhonen Vasquez, various publishers including but not limited to Nickelodeon Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warnings:** This story and the chapters in it will take place in an Alternate Universe with original characters and will involve xenophile situations, romantic and sexual relationships of the homosexual nature as well as the heterosexual nature. Similarly, torture, angst, sexual content, gore, violence, murder, genocide, adult language, and attempted rape will be within the content of this story.

**------ **

**Chapter 01: All Good Little Girls and Good Little Boys**

Her steps did not " _click-click-click_" against the cold gleaming purple metal of the corridor for she glided across the tiles with elegance and poise that belied her insanity. Her clothed arms tightened gently around the two smeets in her arms. The legendary black and his twin were fast asleep and clinging strongly to one another, both well aware they would find no true comfort from any Irken except each-other.

"Oh no my little lovelies, oh no, oh my," she purred as she twirled and swayed closer towards her chambers.

She passed many doors that led to various other labs, and the tiny insignificant scientists that did not garner her attention were scrambling out of her zigzagging path. They were in frenzy around her feet, none brave enough to meet her cold ice blue eyes as they hurried from room-to-room.

She was humming, paying them no mind but she stopped when a small lilac-eyed Irken - no more than two feet tall - who was weak and scrawny fell into her path. The beast was tired from having done the noble cause of serving his Master and Council for a month down in the labs with little food and even less sleep. The feeble waste of resources had grown so weary that its legs had finally collapsed beneath its nonexistent weight.

Her eyes narrowed and her curled antennae flattened tight like a vice against her head. One of the smeets in her arms let out a small whimper as her claws began to dig into their bodies.

All the other tiny Irkens in the corridor just continued with the task assigned to them, no one daring to help their fallen comrade. A few of the taller Irkens, one's who were barely five feet tall and just as hungry, just as tired, just as weary - taller Irkens who were no **better** than the shorter ones but were stronger and wiser were heading towards Athemes and the smeets in her care.

"What is this?" she hissed, drawing out the "s" within her words. "A bug a bug, why, there's a bug on the rug. Lice, lice, lice, how sad how sad." A few of the smaller Irkens winced but continued to do their assignments in the chemical acidic air of the metal confines of the corridor. Athemes tilted her head, sneering. "Itsy-Bitsy spider was climbing up a tree..."

The small purple Irken whimpered but he was far too tired to beg and unable to garner the strength to get on his knees and plead. Athemes' sneered as she stepped closer, making her steps purposefully " _click-click-click_" against the metal tiles.

"P-P-Pl-Please C-Coun-Councilor-" the creature whimpered, his jaw " _ratta-tat-tatting_" as his eyes were wide with perceptible fear.

"Along came a breeze and blew it next to me..." she continued to sing.

Another step closer and the whimpers grew stronger.

The smaller Irkens focused solely on their tasks now, praying to the gods that the single-mindedness of their unremitting chores would block out the tangible knowledge of what was about to happen next. The taller ones - the ones that had finally reached Athemes - looked on with either gleams of resignation or pleasure within their fatigued eyes.

"Out came the foot," she lifted her leg, the cold metal sole of her boot resting atop the quivering, whimpering, i _crying_ /i flesh of the small Irken's skull "and i _squish_ /i it went goodbye," in one fell swoop she pressed her heel down, the resounding "_**CRACK**_" echoed against the hollow panels of the corridor as blood splashed and splattered across the floor. Athemes grinned, eyes agleam with maddened joy, with hunger, as she watched the spilt blood of the worthless creature blot atop the bodies of the small sleeping smeets within her caring arms. "That itsy, bitsy, spider... you knew it had to die..."

She gazed at the crushed skull and flowing blood with the same curiosity one might examine a stain on the wall that had appeared without its source being known.

"Oh dear oh dear, oh me, oh my," she hissed, looking up to lock eyes with a dark blue-eyed taller scientist, the other flinching and looking down and away immediately. The air was rich with the scent of death and the hall was silent with slaughter. "It seems," her voice was soothing, tender, motherly, and easily heard in the thick carnage quiet, "that someone fell down and broke his poor little crown," she started gliding through the masses, all parting for her, darting away, tumbling over one another to get out of her course. In the thickness of the silent hall her steps went "_click-click-click_." "Clean it up or you'll all go tumbling after!"

She did not look behind her as those in the corridor scrambled faster yet to clean up body and blood. There was no respect for the dead as the body was dumped down a garbage shoot after organs had been removed for advancement in study. Two, possibly three insignificant specks followed her to clean away each bloody boot-print she marked across the floor.

With each step she finally reached her chambers, gleaming metal doors greeting her, beckoning her. She grinned before she entered, the smeets still safely tucked in her arms as the "_whiz-biz, pop, crack, snap!_" of chemicals and experiments was the only, multi-colored light in the rooms. The smeets were still fast asleep as if the blood of a bug in the empire wasn't dabbled on their cheeks.

"Ah sweet little smeets, all cutely sleepy-sleep. Yes, yes, we'll put you to bed, you'll stay with me till you chambers are done being painted red."

The door slid shut behind her, and she walked into the main greeting room where couches smelled more of blood and acid than cloth. She twirled and glided before she gently set the smeets down on the couch before flopping down on the floor in front of them. She heard her door open again already knowing who it was for only one ever visited.

"I wish you wouldn't track blood across the floor Athemes, it distracts the scientists in your sector from their tasks."

She did not turn to face him but instead, she leaned in closer to the smeets, purring gently as she rested her head on the cushions, stretching out her neck as if she were on the chopping block of the guillotine.

"You shall be legends, poison, and water," she soothed.

Eyes of the deepest green, so dark and cold they seemed black, but not a true black, narrowed. Chrodin leaned against the back of the sofa, his eyes filled with amusement.

"My, what a combination Athemes," he purred but not bothering to touch her.

She glanced up at him, ice-blue meeting, locking, knowing, with his dark green. And then she just tilted her head to rest her check against the couch cushion.

"And the empire came crumbling down, down, down."

He leaned over the back of the couch, gazing down at the legendary true black, the first ever in all of their evolutionary history, and the legend's twin.

"Lucky for me you aren't able to see into the future, Athemes. Still, he will have a role to fill."

"If he cannot, will not?" she asked as she looked past him and into the threading of her couch seats.

"If he cannot, than he is of no use to me, and I do not keep those who are useless. And if he will not? I will _make_ him."

Athemes grinned, she rested her claws atop the seats, her antennae perking and brushing against the smeets' bodies.

"Around the universe, and back again."

"Until they learn common speech they are both useless to me, install their pak fail-safes and then run some tests on both of them." He gazed down at them, pulling lightly on Athemes' antennae.

She looked up, annoyed before resting her head back on the couch. He frowned and pulled again, harder, harsher, yanking them and forcing her to rise to meet his eyes. She hissed as her claws struck out against his cheek. He gave a tight smile, amused before letting go, stroking the side of her face.

"Now, that I have your attention, see to it the Black's twin is tested on _in front_ of the Black, Athemes."

Athemes just stared at him, annoyed. She watched the trail of blood running down his cheek, smirking. He pulled again on her antennae, bringing their faces close.

"Tell me you understand Athemes," they said in unison.

Athemes' smile widened and Chrodin looked on with amusement.

"Very well, you have your orders. Get them done."

Chrodin released her antennae and left, the door sliding close behind him as she watched his departing.

Athemes then turned back towards Zabius and Lerrias, smiling gently, cooing sweetly, she adored them and despised them already.

"Going to be gods yourselves, yes," she hissed, "god of war, god of blood, king of slaughter... Yes, yes, going to be, going to be, and the walls came crumble-tumble-humbling down."

And as she spoke, Zabius and Lerrias just kept on sleeping, splattered with blood of the empire, and clinging tightly to one another.


	3. The Cruel Minds of Your Peer

**Title:** Crimson Midnight  
**Chapter:** 2/?  
**Authors:** Bleeding Star Goddess and Uppertorso  
**Rating:** MA  
**Pairings:** Well, it's all OC but anyways Zabius/Lerrias, Chrodin/Athemes, (past) Azith/Prymis

**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by Jhonen Vasquez, various publishers including but not limited to Nickelodeon Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warnings:** This story and the chapters in it will take place in an Alternate Universe with original characters and will involve xenophile situations, romantic and sexual relationships of the homosexual nature as well as the heterosexual nature. Similarly, torture, angst, sexual content, gore, violence, murder, genocide, adult language, and attempted rape will be within the contents of this story.

----

**Chapter 02: The Cruel Minds of Your Peers**

Vex - a small irken with eyes of light green - stood with command and control at the front of the large lecture hall. Rows of more than two hundred desks were filled with smeets hatched during various cycles of the current year but all of them more than two months old. Each one had wires coming out of their paks that attached to the large purple metal faceted sphere emerging from the middle of the ceiling. The small viewing window embedded in their desks had their current lesson _buzzing_ quickly in it and going in repetition to ingrain it into their small pathetic minds. Hundreds of multi-colored eyes gazed up at him and he sighed in irritation at the sheer amount of varied red-eyed smeets. Truly, most of this batch would be shipped off to Councilor Azith and nothing else really.

"Now we shall go over what was downloaded yesterday. Someone, repeat the four pillars of the empire," he ordered softly, knowing that the smeets would have to keep quiet if they desired to hear him.

As expected all the blue-eyed and some of the purple-eyed and even fewer green-eyed smeets raised their claws while most of the red and yellow-eyed smeets stared at him in stupidity.

He gazed around and nodded to a small violet-eyed smeet near the middle of the twentieth row. 

"The four pillars are dominance, obedience, knowledge, and willingness," his head snapped towards the door and his eyes widened.

"Councilor Athemes!"

Instantly he and the smeets bowed, eyes lowered and a claw to their chest.

"It is an honor for you to bestow a visit to us today, Councilor Athemes."

Athemes sneered and gazed around at all the rows. How like Vex, putting all the light red-eyed smeets near the very back while the blues, purples, and greens dominated the front rows.

"My my, what a clichéd rainbow," she hissed. There was silence to her statement and she snarled, storming over to the tiny Vex and smacking him to the ground. "Well! Where is my greeting scarab! These art the fruit of the labor!"

Vex fell to the floor; grateful to the goddess he had only suffered this instead of Athemes' more preferred punishments.

"Class, greet the Councilor Athemes and give her the honor she is due," he ordered as he remained on the ground, wary what would happen if he got up when Athemes had not given him permission.

"Good cycle Councilor Athemes," the smeets all chimed up without ever removing their gazes from the floor, the etiquette lessons having been downloaded many months ago.

Athemes nodded in approval smiling gently at the newest generation. 

"Good cycle to all of you as well my dear little spiders. Sit, sit, we must begin in earnest towards the massacres."

Athemes glided to the front of the classroom and sat herself atop the desk. 

"I shall, I shall be teaching your class, scarab my scarab," she said without ever looking at Vex. 

Vex nodded and stood, bowing again and moving to close the door.

"Cease thy patter bug!" Athemes yelled, pointing a claw at him but her cold eyes still firmly focused on the smeets. Vex gulped and stopped, shuffling back towards the wall, the door left open.

"Ah yes, the four pillars, how sweetly quaint, you," she turned and looked at a petite purple boy, "what do they mean beyond what you've been taught?"

The small child blinked and started to panic.

"Um... uh... dominance in-in per-"

"ENOUGH!"

"Eep!" some of the smeets cried, sinking into their seats, others grinned and leaned forward, none of their reactions escaped Athemes' observation.

She smiled gently and got up from the top of the metal desk, gliding along the front of the rows.

"Dominance, a pretty word, one of mine and Mr. Twiddles favorite, oh yes oh yes, dear little spiders be aware of this one, it's the first, after all." As she spoke her claws grazed over the small desk vid-screens. "Dominance, authority, supremacy, ascendance! All of these words mean control!" She slammed a claw into a vid-screen, causing it to shatter with a echoing "_SMASH_." 

Some of the smeets laughed, others screamed in surprise, she took special attention of the smeets that didn't even care and showed no reaction.

"DOMINANCE!" she yelled again, slamming a fist into the desk, denting it. "We are IRKEN! We will... we **ARE** the greatest empire in this universe! All other species will bow to us or bleed if they will not!" her voice held all of them captivated, entranced. "But it is not just an action that the universe will understand as we conquer them, but it is a way to hold yourself around those lesser species."

She took a deep breath and smiled. 

"Who shall tell me about obedience?"

She called upon a royal blue-eyed girl and sneered at her.

"Obedience," the little smeet replied calmly, unaffected by the maddened gleam in Athemes' eyes, "to the empire, to the Council, and especially the Master. It is not only those we dominate who must adhere to this but we, the irkens as well. We must obey our commanding officers and be willing to obey any order given to us and happily allot our useless lives if it is so ordered of us."

"A flippant memorized answer spider, oh me oh my, but acceptable for one of your brain capacities," Athemes purred as she returned to the main desk. "It is more, so very much more than that frivolous lie. It is more than those we control as well. You must obey and give up everything, anything. You have nothing, my sweet smeet-meats. You must be willing to give not only your life, but whatever friends you gain, your fellow soldiers, scientist, builders, breeders. Why would we ask you to take your own life when it's so much more entertaining to watch you take the life of your companion?" she chuckled as she crossed her legs and leaned back on her claws.

The smeets gazed at her with understanding and comprehension. They would give up everything for the empire, themselves, and others.

There was silence in the lecture hall, no one daring to speak or ask a question whilst Councilor Athemes was in the room. The "_fhuuu-fhaaa_" of breathing was the only sound in the room as attentive eyes fixated and memorized the body of the only female Council member.

Vex watched as Councilor Athemes instilled a deeper obedience and fear in this generation than previous ones he had educated. Every once in a while she would get up off the desk and slam a fist into another vid-screen, or turn a desk over, sending a smeet to the ground. Some of the smeets were getting so terrified they were quaking in their seats, the wires that linked up to the download sphere "_clink-clank-clinking_" against each other and adding noise to the silent room. 

Of course, soon they would all go to Councilor Prymis for combat training. The lessons and basics the smeets learned with him and Nix the other smeet teacher would compare to nothing the Combat Lord would infuse into their minds and train their bodies to react too.

He was... curious, however on Councilor Athemes' visit. He had heard a rumor from a green in the medical wing that a true black had actually been hatched two weeks ago. But the pak-inventory charts only stated going to the regular reds, blues, and the likes, a yellow had been born yesterday but otherwise the inventory had mentioned no true black. Also his class list for the next session showed no sign of a true black being born.

"...ou think? Oh no no no me oh my smeet-meat, willingness will not carry you that far, your stupidity shall make you a good toy to destroy," Athemes giggled and that was when Vex went back to listening to what she was saying.

Ice-cold blue eyes turned on him and he froze, wondering if she was upset that he had not been paying attention to the lesson. 

"What is next to teach?" she chuckled.

"Eye-color and their roles, Councilor Athemes, but that is for tomorrow's lesson, Councilor," Vex replied with a bow.

Athemes slapped the desk as if in excitement but her eyes gleamed as if she were going to cry. 

"Wonderful! You shall have them download it now and I shall return tomorrow..." she smiled.

Vex nodded, bowing lower, not going to argue a single tick with the Councilor, it was an order and he would have it done.

"It is done," he replied knowing that another response would only help (hopefully).

"Vex," she purred gesturing for him to come closer with a single finger. "I have a gift from the Master, and in your little claws I will be allowing you to guide them for my experiments run slow as I tend to them."

Vex blinked, not quite sure what was being given to him but almost dreading it as the Master himself had given Councilor Athemes the "gift" which meant if anything went wrong it would be his head they'd destroy.

"My little legend and his twin will come when these pathetic wastes of paks are more knowledgeable."

"Little legend and..." he realized he had spoken and knew that the slap he had gained was well deserved. 

"Have it done scarab," she stated with a giggle, choking him. Vex did not claw at her hands, did not try to escape, if she so desired to do this to him than he was not to question it. "My gift is beyond special, they are my charges."

He only nodded his vision starting to get blurry. Athemes released his throat and set him back down on the ground, standing up at her full six feet proudly. He panted and bit at air, starving for it.

"C-Class," he wheezed, "bid Councilor Athemes a goodbye as she has honored us so graciously," he panted. 

"G-Goodbye Councilor Athemes, thank you for honoring us today," the students replied, visibly cowed.

Athemes smiled gently and nodded before giggling and doing pirouettes out the opened door. All the smeets and Vex watched her and he sighed in relief that the worse thing to have happened was that one smeet had a slightly sore bottom. He turned to the frightened students and gave a reassuring smile.

"Now, as you heard you will be downloading the roles of the..."

"Oh my little legend and my blood-bather!" she called out as she came into their private room.  
The little legend couldn't be put in the nursery; it would be too easy for other irkens to compromise an experiment she might be doing on him. The walls were a light purple and held two tiny beds sitting on opposite sides of the room. It seemed pointless to the two little smeets that their beds were so far apart since one of them would always crawl into the other's bed and they were always playing on one bed if they weren't downloading a lesson. Between them, two little desks sat around a small download sphere sat in the middle of the room atop a stand and next to the desks. A couch large enough for Athemes to sit on sat against the wall across from the door and next to the couch was a door that led to their bathing chambers and through there the examination lab where she would test and experiment on Zabius.

Lerrias looked up from his vid-screen, the schematics of the battle ship in front of him and some calculations for holes he noticed on another one while Zabius was just sitting behind him and playing with Lerrias' antennae by putting beads and ribbon on them. Lerrias was often tricked into stopping his calculations as Zabius would stroke the base of his antennae and make him relax before putting a particularly feminine bead or ribbon on him.

"Athemes look!" Lerrias smiled, holding up the screen and his calculations to the tall female while Zabius merely put a ribbon on his left antennae, "I fixed the problems of the Xavier Battleship!"

Athemes smiled and patted Lerrias on the head, truly impressed with the two-week-old crimson-eyed smeet. And knowing that touching the little red would cause the little true black to acknowledge she was in the room.

"Mommy is so proud smeety! And how is the little legend hmm?" she asked as she turned to look at Zabius.   
Zabius gazed up at Athemes and blinked just staring at her and then adding another bead to Lerrias' antennae, this one purple. 

She gently tugged on Zabius' antennae.

"Still silent like a tomb and eyes aglow with malice is he?" she chuckled.

"Zabi talks Athemes!" Lerrias replied quickly, not wanting Zabius to be in trouble. Zabius did talk, a lot in fact, but he refused to talk to others beyond his twin.

"Mommy knows, blood-bather, mommy knows, me oh my, how she knows! But, little sweet-smeet speaks like a mummy to mommy."

Lerrias nodded and he felt a gentle tug on his own antennae, Zabius' silently telling him that it was fine whether or not Athemes knew if he spoke.

"Do you know why I am here my sweet smeet-meats?" she purred, plopping down on the small bed and disrupting the tray of beads and ribbons Zabius had sitting beside him.

Lerrias turned to look at her and then at Zabius.

"Because we're going to start lecture and the mass downloading tomorrow right Athemes?" he asked softly, watching Zabius' antennae perking slightly before flattening against his head in annoyance as he struggled to get an intricate bead onto Lerrias' antennae.

Athemes giggled, stroking a claw along Lerrias' collarbone. 

"Indeed, little blood-bather, now the other students are behind you in downloading by at least four month cycles but the torture of being amongst peers older than you should madden you well enough. And if little legend here remains mummy hushed then it will most certainly be entertaining."

Zabius gently swiped at the claw Athemes' ran along Lerrias' collarbone, glaring and hugging his twin closer. The Councilor chuckled and gently pulled on the black's antennae.

Lerrias bit his lip, never quite understanding why Athemes was so much more physically violent with Zabius. He felt a gentle nuzzle at the back of his neck and smiled.

"Athemes, Zabius wants to know why we're going at two-weeks instead of two-months like everyone else."

"Because smeet-meat," she grinned maliciously, "it's a test."

Lerrias blinked and leaned back into Zabius and the black felt the movement and hugged the crimson close, growling at Athemes. She laughed in amusement before patting them on the head and bestowing a biting kiss on their foreheads.

"Sleep well my little destroyers, tomorrow you will get to experience the cruel minds of your peers."

---


	4. Nothing as Cruel

**Title:** Crimson Midnight  
**Chapter:** 3/?  
**Authors:** Bleeding Star Goddess and Uppertorso  
**Rating:** NC-17  
**Pairings:** Well, it's all OC but anyways Zabius/Lerrias, Chrodin/Athemes, (past) Azith/Prymis

**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by Jhonen Vasquez, various publishers including but not limited to Nickelodeon Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warnings:** This story and the chapters in it will take place in an Alternate Universe with original characters and will involve xenophile situations, romantic and sexual relationships of the homosexual nature as well as the heterosexual nature. Similarly, torture, cannibalism, angst, sexual content, gore, violence, murder, genocide, adult language, and attempted rape will be within the contents of this story.

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**Chapter 03: Nothing as Cruel as the Stares of the Masses**

Fear... it was such a small word that conveyed a state of being that every Irken breathed and ate daily and felt in every seam of their bodies while it bent their spines and beat their brow. And the origin of their fear, of their bent spines was the Master and Council, at their whim they all lived, by their schedule they existed. So it was not a break in the schedule that the smeets would be in the lecture hall again upon the next day cycle. It was something that would dominate their life in fact, an agenda, a calendar to abide to. The only difference, was that the gleaming and maddened eyes of Council Member Athemes was sneering at them, rolling two syringes containing deep hot pink liquid in them between her claws. She sat upon the desk at the front of the lecture-room, possessing the ability to own the room, command it, and destroy all of them within it if she so chose.

"Alright sweet-smeet-meat, who can tell me about oh-so-pretty-ditty eyes?"

Only a few of the mass raised their claws, and of that number some made a tentative attempt to raise their claws high, others barely raised their claw off the desks.

She waved an idle hand at a little orange, whose eyes were narrowed in annoyance. Athemes' sneer pulled harder at her lips, seeing the streak of disobedience in his eyes, oh, he'd be such a fun one to break, to beat, to smash and eat.

"While not always true, the color of eyes on an irken indicates what they would be good at and eventually what profession in the empire they are likely to be assigned."

Athemes threw the syringes in the air, catching them before rolling it across her knuckles.

"Not bad, not bad, continue smeet."

The orange was startled by the praise, having expected the response his blue-eyed classmate had received from the Councilor's last lecture.

"The darker the eye-color the more powerful, smarter, or creative you are."

Athemes chuckled and ran an idle claw deep into the metal of the desk she sat on.

"So then what's the strongest smeet?" she hissed.

"... The... eye colors closest to black are the most intelligent, the strongest and are generally able to have all capabilities rather than just their eye-color alone, like our Master -"

He was suddenly slapped, Athemes in front of him with a calm mad gleam in her ice-blue eyes. Yes, she was the perfect example of dark eye-color not holding true. Or Goddess knew, perhaps if she had been darker in eye-color she wouldn't have gone mad.

"Enough!" she laughed.

Several of the smeets winced, others shook in their seats as the lesson they had downloaded the day before rattled in their brains and started to prejudice them against one another. The dark-eyed reds sneered and chuckled at their pink-eyed companions and dark-eyed blues were no better. Yes... Athemes gazed at them and their shifting glances to one another, sizing one another up, loathing one another. She grinned, yes... yes, perfect.

"Tell me," her voice was soft, gentle, and the smeets had to strain to hear her, "about true blacks," she grinned.

Some of the smeets looked between themselves, almost expecting a true black to appear in the mass of their class. A yellow-eyed smeet raised his claw, annoyed at the question asked by the Councilor.

Athemes waved a dismissive claw but gave no further indication for the smeet to continue. The yellow-eyed smeet lost his annoyance as Athemes gestured towards him, uneasy and wondering if he was being allowed to answer.

"They're... merely legend, Councilor Athemes."

That seemed to be the phrase Athemes was waiting for, Vex noticed as he stood - again - by the door at the front of the class. She got up off the Vex's desk and started walking along the front row of desks, running a nail along the tops with enough pressure that the long screech from the scratched metal pierced the heavy silence of the air.

"Ah yes... yes, yes, yes. Little spiders are so colorful; a rainbow a rainbow, but deadly spider is black, black and red." She snapped her fingers and one of her personnel Irkens came into the lecture hall, bowing low. "Little colorful spider rainbow," she cooed as she gazed at the door and brought the syringes to her lips, "let me show you what a deadly spider looks like," she chuckled as she licked the burning glass of the needles. "SEND THEM IN!"

The personnel nodded and went back outside. Vex and the smeets craned their necks, trying to see the owners of the shadows that stretched across the entrance floor. Athemes sneered and went to the door, soft whispering could be heard as she gazed down at whatever... _whoever_ was at the door.

"Come in then, little ones, the cruel rainbow will bend and break, shiver and quake and the skittles will come raining down."

At first, the smeets were disappointed to see a dark red-eyed smeet with long antennae come through the door, and while his antennae were perhaps the longest they'd seen and his color a deep crimson he was not that impressive. He gazed back at them with bored eyes, seeing them for nothing. He looked back at the door and the others finally noticed that another claw was holding the crimson's own. Again the whispers started to rise as the claw without a body had yet to show itself. The Councilor smiled as she moved to rest a hand on the crimson's shoulder. A few moments later, a small smeet with slightly darker skin walked in before he turned to face the class.

Loud gasps and even a scream filled the room as true black eyes gazed at them with cold annoyance. It was a black-eyed Irken! Even Professor Vex was stunned into silence!

Athemes moved to rest a claw on the black's shoulder, standing behind him to grin at the class.

"Look at them," she purred and the smeets didn't know whom she was speaking to. "They are miserable filth that should lie at your feet, you will lead them, but only after they **fear** you my precious little spider."

The black said nothing, although the crimson beside him looked a bit nervous as Athemes stroked the black's scalp, only he could see how she ran her claws along the skin. She pulled away, grinning as she strode over to a desk.

"Now my little spiders, you have not yet started combat training but soon, when you do, you will be fighting and falling under his claws. We have great expectations for him, our precious little legend, and the walls will crumble from the bodies he packs in them," she giggled as she smacked a smeet across the face for no other reason than she could, Dorvo wouldn't approve of her hurting the smeets before they proved to be useless but she didn't care what her council members thought.

As she continued to walk along the front row of the desks, she stopped in front of two of the smeets, light-eyed greens she grabbed one by the throat and pulled him up, keeping her grip tight on his throat but not enough to strangle him let alone snap it in half as she had done before to small smeets.

"Hhck!" the green-eyed smeet whimpered as he struggled before going limp, remembering who was choking him and so his eyes were wide with fear. With a quick yank she pulled the downloading cord out and sneered as she licked his cheek, scrapping her fangs along it and drawing the smallest drops of blood.

"You're in their seats," she hissed before she slammed the one of the syringes into his temple and injected half of it into him. The smeet screamed and grabbed at his head. He coughed up blood and blood spilt from his eyes before they rolled back and shut, his face slowly starting to suck in on itself and collapse before the whole skull seemed to fall into the neck. She sneered as she threw the smeet aside before grabbing the other light-green in the seat beside the other. She licked that smeet's cheek as well before Athemes finished off the poison in his skull. Again the smeet screamed and all looked on in silence, some turned away and some stared on in rapt fascination as blood fell from its lips and eyes and the skull collapsed in on itself.

Without care or remorse she threw that body over to the door as well and already the corpses were being pulled away to her labs and to be experimented on later. Athemes landed cold eyes on all of them, her maddening gleam bright and aglow, sneering as she readied the second syringe.

"Such frail spiders, a simple plucking of your legs and you limp, but I will show you real strength," she walked over to the black-eyed smeet again, her heels clicking along the floors. The two smeets watched her, silent and wary, waiting for her to move. Athemes giggled as she tilted the black's head to the side, running a claw up his cheek as she rolled the syringe along her knuckles before she slammed all of the needle's contents into his temple.

The crimson's antennae tensed and he looked at the black but after tilting his head back up the black lifted a calm claw and rubbed it along his temple, where the needle had stabbed him. They all watched and waited, expecting the same thing even for the legendary black. He coughed and they watched, waiting to see blood. He did not scream out and beyond the cough he made no other motion that he had been affected by the poison. No blood, and more importantly, no collapsed skull.

They gasped, they gulped, they gaped and Athemes gave a light push on their paks to go to their new seats.

"These are your new classmates, I expect great things," she purred as she walked to the front of the class, "from all of you, no matter how disappointing you already seem to be."

She left the classroom and Vex went to the front, but he could not start the class for they all remained staring at the little black.

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	5. Beat the Brow and Bend the Back

**Title:** Crimson Midnight  
**Chapter:** 4/?  
**Authors:** Bleeding Star Goddess and Uppertorso  
**Rating:** NC-17  
**Pairings:** Well, it's all OC but anyways Zabius/Lerrias, Chrodin/Athemes, (past) Azith/Prymis

**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by Jhonen Vasquez, various publishers including but not limited to Nickelodeon Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warnings:** This story and the chapters in it will take place in an Alternate Universe with original characters and will involve xenophile situations, romantic and sexual relationships of the homosexual nature as well as the heterosexual nature. Similarly, torture, cannibalism, angst, sexual content, gore, violence, murder, genocide, adult language, and attempted rape will be within the contents of this story.

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**Chapter 04: Beat the Brow and Bend the Back**

They hated him, they feared him, they inspired to be like him and yet he would have none of their attention. Zabius didn't care for those he was to call peers. He understood why they were called that though, all they did was peer at one another, sizing them up and measuring them, wondering if they were lesser than them, or - Goddess forbid - higher ranking than them. He didn't care, so long as Lerrias was beside him, smiling at him he could continue to let the masses stare and gawk.

Professor Vex, since the black's arrival, would pick him constantly, trying to see if the little true black had intelligence as well as strength. Zabius never answered anything. Vex would bristle, his antennae tense as Zabius would just stare back at him blankly, eventually Lerrias would have to speak up for him. His refusal to answer anything started the rumor machines, everything he did seemed to start one. The rumors like everything else, were vast and varied: he wasn't speaking to Vex because he was snobbish and so felt the irken beneath his time, he was too slow in the head to answer or he didn't understand the question, his particular favorite was that he was such a mutation that he was unable to speak thus the little crimson had to answer for him, and Lerrias' favorite was that Zabius was so far advanced that he had forgone speech and those black orbs could read thoughts. They had laughed in their room when they had heard that one circulating.

Zabius' life, however, was not merely the basic schooling and soon to be combat training, no, basics weren't possible when their caretaker was Athemes. He often was slammed up against a wall, and she would smile, because Athemes always smiled at him. Her cruelty could have reached new highs when it concerned Zabius; she would strap him to a table to "experiment" although it was always in the name of testing his limits. Her experiments were a wide variety of things, sometimes it was injecting a poison into him, to see if it affected him or if he would absorb it into his blood stream. She would carve designs and patterns or even schematics into his skin, never deep enough to scar but pain didn't need to be deeper than skin. Athemes favorite threat was that if he struggled or resisted the experiments that she could always bring in Lerrias to do them instead, the little red could finally prove to have more worth than being a translator. After those sessions Lerrias would move into his bed and just hold him, cooing softly as he would do basic first-aid on what bruises and cuts he could.

He would go to lectures with bruises and bandages, which merely started up further rumors, it didn't help that Zabius and Lerrias had never been moved into the Academy Dorms but remained in the quarters in the science building. Athemes and Chrodin didn't want Zabius in them, Athemes because it didn't make him readily available to force a poison down his throat and Chrodin didn't want him in the dorms because he didn't want possible assassinations on the little black. This was his life, and Zabius made no complaint, Lerrias was with him.

He and Lerrias were walking down the main science hall, claw in claw and Lerrias was smiling, although he knew that as soon as they got back to their room that Zabius would pull out the beads and ribbons for his antennae. It was an annoyance he suffered for his twin's amusement. Their walk always gained on-lookers, the presence of the black not yet common enough to ignore.

"I think today was a good day," Lerrias smiled at him; "Instructor Vex finally stopped calling on you and is calling on others again."

Zabius merely shrugged and Lerrias chuckled. Both smeets stopped as a very long leg came into their view. They looked up and Zabius instantly moved so that Lerrias was a bit behind him, he would only move the red further if this Taller proved a threat.

"Well my my my, if it isn't the little mutant," the deep-blue eyed Irken grinned as he rested his claws on his waist. "And his ever present parasitic translator, how could I forget," Zabius bared his teeth in warning as he made Lerrias and himself step back. "Now where do you think you're going mutant and don't answer parasite," the blue hissed at Lerrias.

Lerrias' antennae pressed against his head and with a light tug he tried to get Zabius to just ignore the scientist and head back to their rooms. He gazed around them, some Irkens pausing to just watch, while others continuing about their work.

Zabius didn't answer - of course Zabius never answered if it wasn't Lerrias asking the question. He remained baring his fangs and as the Taller took a step forward he would make sure he and Lerrias stepped back.

It was rare for someone to stop them on their paths but it was the fear of Athemes and the Master that caused such obedience, not for any real concern for the smeets. However, every once and a while someone would try to harass them if only to get a rise out of the little black.

"Answer me mutant," the Taller hissed as he stepped forward again and Zabius hissed as he saw they were being backed into a wall. The scientist chuckled. "Oh what's this now, getting uncomfortable are we?"

"Please let us on our way," Lerrias whispered, biting his lip and hating that he could do nothing.

"I said silence parasite!" the Taller struck out then, not aiming for Zabius but for Lerrias.

Zabius eyes narrowed and his own small claw snapped out, grabbing the Taller's own. He bent it back in one swift motion until a '_crack_' issued from it, a hiss of pain falling from the scientist's mouth. The Taller locked eyes with Zabius and startled. Zabius released the claw and pushed the Taller away, pulling on Lerrias to hurry him down the hall, to make a run for it to get back to their quarters. They weaved and bobbed through the scientists' legs but they didn't get very far.

Both smeets were slammed up against a wall. Lerrias gasped in surprise and Zabius snarled, snapping and struggling against the claws that held him down.

"I'd calm down if I were you, unless you want your little parasite to get hurt?" the Taller who he had hurt warned as he came up to them, cradling his broken wrist to his chest. The friends of the Taller sneered down at them as the one holding Lerrias tightened his grip causing Lerrias to gasp out in pain. Zabius stilled, watching as Lerrias continued to try and break free but he shook his head.

"There we go, we're all calm now," one of the two Irken's holding him chuckled.

He took a deep breath, and gazed at the Taller, wishing that combat training had started.

"Indeed, I think you need to learn your place little mutant, people only let you get away with your arrogance because of your eye color. Without that, you're just another little smeet who has no idea of their place." The Taller came closer and with his good claw he scraped a nail along the rim of Zabius' eye.

Both smeets tensed, sensing what was next and Zabius started to struggle anew.

"Without your precious eyes, you are nothing, little mutant," the scientist hiss before he sunk his claws into the socket.

Zabius whimpered and forced himself not to struggle unless more damage was done to his eye. He choked on a scream, forcing himself not to give the others the satisfaction of hearing him scream.

"ZABIUS!" Lerrias yelled out, watching as the Taller plucked his twin's eye out, snapping the optical nerve. "No no no! Let him go!"

The Taller chuckled, holding the eye in his claw and Zabius whimpered again, not even Athemes had gone so far yet.

"I'll be keeping this, little mutant, and when **you** learn to apologize for my wrist, you **may** get it back."

The ones holding him let go and Zabius fell to his knees, shuddering in pain as he pressed his balled-up fists against his forehead, trying not to scream in pain.

"Zabius!" Lerrias ran over to him as he was released. He looked around, seeking help but everyone turned away from his pleading gaze. He hugged Zabius close to him, hearing the screams of pain in his own head. He closed his eyes, trying not to cry for his twin as he just held them. "Za-Zabius come on. We-We'll get you to the room a-and then…" he hiccupped, upset at himself for falling apart when his twin was in such pain.

He heard the familiar '_click-click-click_' and he whimpered as he saw a small little purple leading Athemes over to them. He was both grateful and loathsome towards that purple.

"Athemes!" he called out, "Athemes please!" he whimpered as he continued to hold Zabius. The black's shirt was getting soaked with blood, and a puddle was forming on the floor.

Athemes was calm and she knelt down in front of them. She snapped her fingers and a medical kit was brought to her.

"Shh shh little blood bather, mommy is here now, mommy will make the achy-break all gone."

With firm fingers she tilted Zabius' head up, an empty eye-socket staring back at her. She 'tsked' before she pulled a syringe out of her pak, the liquid within it was deep amber and Lerrias recognized it as a numbing medicine. She injected it into Zabius' temple and he sucked in a breath. Athemes' mad mind wondered if Zabius' blood would absorb this as well and render it useless in later doses.

She wasted no time in bandaging his eyes up in a quick job but Athemes wasn't a medical doctor. A stretcher was brought over and this time it was Lerrias who hissed at the claws trying to pry him away from Zabius.

Athemes put them both on it, uncaring as they were taken to the medical building, one of her personnel running ahead to alert Dorvo.

She did not go with them, instead she stopped and her mad gleam sharpened to a fine blade of sanity. Those in her path were quick to move out of it as she stalked down the halls. She removed her cloak, dropping it on the floor as she heard jubilant laughter from the recreation room for the higher ranked scientists.

She slammed the door open and grinned at the Taller who was throwing the smeets eye up and down like a ball.

"Morvisssss," she hissed, drawing out the 's' in his name. The Taller and his friends quickly bowed. She glided over, a chill filling the room as her skilled fingers plucked the eye out of Morvis' claw, placing it in a jar with restorative jelly and placing it back into her pak. "Oh Morvis..." she chuckled and she watched as all of their antennae tensed.

She slammed Morvis up against a wall, that blade of sanity digging into Morvis' skull. He panicked and kicked Athemes in the stomach, sending her stumbling backwards but not causing her to fall. She giggled as she pulled syringes out of her pak as well as a scalpel.

Distantly she heard the '_pound-pound-dudum dudum_' of the guards coming to the door, useless little peons that were never on time.

"Scientist Morvis you are hereby -"

"Exterminated," she interrupted some little pawn. "Arrest the others, leave this one, he is mine."

"Yes Councilor!"

She heard the shuffles and buzzing of tazer-spears as the others were escorted out, but she kept her eyes on Morvis. He gulped, his eyes filled with fear as he had been trained to respect and obey the Master and Council, but his life was on the line.

"Little bug," Athemes interrupted his thoughts as she threw the scalpel and he cried out as it sliced through one of his antennae, having not expected the throw or the accurate aim. "You dare bite what is mine?" she hissed.

He saw a blur of blue before he was thrown into a chasm of agony.

It was only an hour later that she giggled, blood covering her as she walked away from the puddle of flesh and wires. She turned and hissed at the scientists that had gathered at the door; those that had withstood watching her brutality backed away, bowing.

She strode down the hall, covered in blood, but she gave a mere giggle as she headed to the medical building. When she arrived Dorvo was waiting for her in the observation room. She produced the eye and grinned.

"Well then," Dorvo held out his claw, expecting her to hand it over.

"No," she purred, rubbing her cheek along the glass of the jar. "Little sweet-meat needs to learn; only Mommy can hurt him, only mommy can pluck his eye POP!"

Dorvo scowled.

"He could go blind forever even if we put that eye back in Athemes. What uses will the Master have for a blind in one eye black?"

She smacked Dorvo, leaving blood on his cheek and she smiled as if she hadn't moved.

"Mommy is a better doctor than you," she giggled.

Dorvo rolled his eyes.

"Woman you are not a doctor in this area."

"All areas, Mr. Badger," she replied as she moved past him to stare down at Zabius on the operating table, medics around him but unsure what to do since they didn't have his eye to reattach, they had already taken care of the blood loss. She chuckled.

"He'll be blind when it's reattached."

"Legend will be stronger and stronger."

"You're risking his sight and his usefulness to push this limit!" Dorvo growled.

"But just think," she giggled, "what sweet limits push if he can see just fine."  
Dorvo shook his head and turned to look down at the operating room. The observation room looked into five different operating rooms, two small ones and one lecture operating room and two advanced rooms.

"What of the crimson?"

"Little blood bather is not a problem, calls out to mommy and mommy answers."

"Adalea and Kalvin have been breeding repeatedly," Dorvo stated off-claw. Athemes glanced at him from the corner of her eye at the mention of the black's and crimson's birth parents. Adalea was a royal-blue who, rather than being in the science building, was a tactics soldier, and Kalvin was a candy apple-red that, like most reds, was a part of the army. She turned to look back down at the smeet. "We have not been able to gain another black as of yet."

Athemes rolled her eyes, catching on to what Dorvo was implying.

"Mommy will look into DNA, Mr. Badger," she waved a dismissive claw. "Both spawn and provider."

The green nodded, not needing to say much else. He and Athemes had been on the Council together since its insurgence. The Master had convinced Dorvo to join with ease and Athemes would follow Chrodin anywhere.

"Should we alert the Master that someone has gone and harmed his precious black?"

"And why would we do that Mr. Badger? Little legend is here, survived and alive, little blood bather with him. Mommy took care of the flea that bit them."

Dorvo winced at that, knowing that the perpetrator would have been on the receiving end of Athemes' full sanity since her wrath brought her away from the edge and cleared her head.

"Keep your eye then, but I recommend no longer than a week cycle," Dorvo said, walking away from the window to examine other procedures.

"Mommy knows, mommy knows, Mr. Badger. Mommy knows what bends and breaks, beats and shakes."

He rolled his eyes as he picked up a vid-screen from the table in the middle of the room where the list for the five rooms' operation schedules of that day sat.

Down in the operating rooms, Lerrias sat outside the door of the one they had taken Zabius into, his knees curled up to is chest. He hated those Irkens; he hated their "peers" and their instructor. They all looked and gawked at Zabius, started rumors about him as if they had a right too, as if they were equal to him. His eyes narrowed and his mind churned.

Zabius was in there because of that Taller and his friends, well, he would show them. He would use their own science and medical prowess to destroy them, but more importantly, to heal Zabius when they all decided to hurt his twin.

Alone in the light pink halls of the medical-building a small smeet sat outside against a wall to an operating room. The nurses and medics that passed by ignored him, they didn't even notice his small form. But he saw them, and he vowed, whispering to himself.

"You all think you're so smart, I will beat you all, I will beat you, and I'll do it at your own game," he hissed as he stared off at the opposite wall.

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End file.
